Australia’s Ariarne Titmus outpaced Katie Ledecky and Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh to win gold in the women’s 400-meter freestyle here at the Olympics on Saturday. 

In the first high-profile swimming showdown of the 2024 Games, a battle of the last three world record holders in the event, Titmus, the current holder, led wire to wire and touched first in 3:57.49.

Ledecky, a giant of the sport, took bronze. McIntosh won silver. The three-way duel that had been hyped by some as the "Race of the Century" finished how most people in the sport expected it would: with Titmus, the reigning Olympic champ, still atop the world. he sport, took bronze. 

McIntosh won silver. The three-way duel that had been hyped by some as the 'Race of the Century' finished how most people in the sport expected it would: with Titmus, the reigning Olympic champ, still atop the world.

The Tasmanian 'Terminator' as she became known as a teen, had already dethroned Ledecky. She exploded onto the scene, into her prime, just in time for the postponed Tokyo Games in 2021. On the opening weekend of that meet, at age 20, she became the first woman to beat Ledecky in an Olympic race.

And three years later, on another opening weekend, in another 400, she did it again. In their preliminary heat Saturday morning, Ledecky chased down Titmus over the final 100 meters to claim the top seed. Her closing speed sent murmurs through the assembled press and fans here: Could the 27-year-old Ledecky, perhaps, turn back time and reclaim her throne? Might the 'Race of the Century' actually live up to its hype? But Titmus, now 23, was unbothered.

“I mean, I don't try to look too much into heat swims,” she said. She didn’t know whether Ledecky was trying to send a message with the late morning change (Ledecky said she wasn’t); Titmus didn’t particularly care.

She has grown, over the past three years, from upstart to seasoned professional. She is the calm catalyst of an Australian team that many expect to challenge the U.S. for the top of the swimming medal table. And she took care of business in the first head-to-head clash between the two swimming powers. She’ll also be favored to win gold in Monday’s 200-meter freestyle.

Ledecky, meanwhile, is still very much on track for a history-making Olympics. She was an underdog in this race. She’ll be favored over Titmus at 800 meters. She’s still unbeaten and untouchable at 1500. If Ledecky wins both of those, plus a medal in the 4x200 relay, she’ll become the most decorated female U.S. Olympian ever, and the most decorated female swimmer ever. Coming up short in the 400 doesn’t change or impede any of that.

Ariarne Titmus: Breakthrough and rivalry with Katie Ledecky

Her big breakthrough came at the 2019 World Championships. The Australian took gold in the 400m freestyle, ending Katie Ledecky's six-year unbeaten run in the event. Titmus added silver in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 800m freestyle before guiding Australia to the team victory in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she beat Ledecky again in one of the most highly-anticipated meetings of the Games. Ledecky opened up a lead of three-quarters of a body length in the first half of the race, but Titmus soon closed the gap before taking over just before the final turn. And she stayed ahead of the American to touch the wall first and prompt wild celebrations from her coach Dean Boxall in the stands.